Prophecy of Love
by Aralka
Summary: She’s always been loved and she always loved. She loved him and now he's gone. There are many kinds of love in this world. Which is the right one? Who knows. Can fate force you to love someone? Pairings inside.
1. Prologue

A/N: My third fanfic! And my first try on angst. I hope you'll like it...Please, review! 

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Note: This is the corrected version. **Francesca**, my great fanfic-adviser and beta reader, not to mention an awasome friend- went through thisstory and corrected all grammar and spelling mistakes. Thank you.

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_She's always been loved and she always loved._  
There are many kinds of love in this world.  
There are childish crushes that fade with time. There's the love of your life, which is more intense as the time passes. How do you know which one is which? How do you know that a childish crush isn't a life love? Do you really have to wait to see? Do you really have to risk...that it'll be too late?

_And she will be loved._

_Please don't try so hard to say goodbye._

"_I won't. I will never say goodbye to you, Shikamaru."_

The monument. The darkness. The field. A familiar scenery.

"_I'm going on a mission, Shikamaru. This one's really dangerous. I might die. Actually, I think I will die. Because you won't be there to protect me."_

A lone tear. A tear of regret, sadness and pain. A lone tear for a single name.

_Nara Shikamaru_

"_How long has it be? Two years? Something like that. I lost count after 489 days."_

A pause. A choking sound.

"_I'm being stupid and blind as always, aren't I? I know...I always was after impossible guys...they always left me...First, Sasuke betrayed Leaf...now, you...you died...protecting what you believed in. You were always stubborn. And always...there. I just regret...not seeing that...that...feeling earlier. I regret not seeing your heart earlier. If I did, then...then..."_

She pauses once again, more tears running down her pale cheeks. She thinks of what she would do.

"_Then...I would probably cry. And I would hug and kiss you...and have a family with you...and..."_

Choked sob.

"_And in the end...we would be old and...and die together and...our ki-kids would..."_

What were you thinking before you died? Were you thinking the same?

"_Yamanaka-San. We need to go."_

Four ANBU ninja stand behind her. She stands up.

"_Yes. Let's go."_

She quickly puts on the mask. The same mask Shikamaru had...the only thing they managed to get from him...

Her lips touching the place where his lips were, just two years ago.

"_When I die will you be with me?"_

"_What is it, Yamanaka-San?"_

"_Nothing. Let's go."_

They dash together through the forest.

ANBU wear masks to not be recognized. Ino never really cared for that. Her ANBU mask was to hide her tears...the tears that are now slowly flowing down her cheeks, one after another...

What were you thinking before you died?

Deep down, she knows. Deep down she knows that all Chouji words were true.

"_He was thinking about a way to die in most efficient way. In the way that will help Konoha most."_

What will I think before my death? What will my heart feel? What did your heart feel?

"_He felt what he wanted, Ino. You know that he always did what he wanted to. He felt that...that...his heart always will belong to you Ino. He told me that. He felt that...that if you only gave him a chance he would...he would open it for you. He felt that...He felt...that it's not a bad way to die. Because, all he could see is you. All he could hear was your voice. All he could feel was his love for you. And even if a part of his brain thought of plans, the other one thought of memories he made with you. He also felt that...it's still not too late to open his heart for you. He felt, that even if you don't care, he will do it. He hoped...he hoped that you will also open your heart and accept him. He hoped you will be with him even if he died."_

Chouji pauses, taking a deep breath as tears fall from his small eyes.

"_Do you, Ino? Do you want to be with him? Do you want him here?"_

And, not waiting for an answer, he leaves Ino in her room. He did what Shikamaru couldn't. That was the only thing he could do for him.

And as time passes, maybe even weeks, she is ready to give an answer. She picks up the last photo of him and stares at the two of them, standing beside each other.

And she sees it...she sees that almost invisible glimmer in his eyes...and suddenly, as the tears start, she knows.

His heart was always open for her. He just waited for her to step in his arms.

"_All this time...I'm sorry for being so stupid. I'm sorry for all this pain...I know how it hurts..."_

Her hand grabs her shirt.

"_Will you forgive me, Shikamaru?"_

Ino said it to the empty room, to the ghost that may be lingering, just like he was always by her side.

And she feels her heart beating with more power, as if someone wanted to force her to live.

Her lips curl into faint smile as she goes to see the new name, freshly graved on the monument.

"_You always forgave so easily, Shika. If that's what you want, then fine. My heart won't stop now. But...you can't force me to live. I can't live without you and I think you know it."_

The door doesn't close behind her, even though she pushes it. She understands it now, so clearly that it hurts. It had always been open for him, just like her heart.

And the same goes for her.

They never saw that they shared one life. And when finally, one of them understood, the other had to pay a really high price for it.

What Ino didn't know, was that Shikamaru never regretted it. For him, it was worth his life to see Ino love him.

What she didn't know, that when the enemies thought he was already dead, his half-closed eyes drifted towards the sky, whispering one short sentence, while having a picture of a blond haired girl with big blue eyes, smiling at him.

"_Thank you for that light." _

"_Thank you," _he whispered closing his eyes.

"_Here's the target, Yamanaka-San."_

"_Let's go."_

And the battle started.

Kunai hitting flesh, metal, wood. Shurikens flying everywhere. And blood. Lots of blood.

"_Was it like this when you fought too, Shikamaru? Was it that...troublesome?"_

It's finally over, no enemies are left. Then why...why does it feel like something's missing? Why...?

And a huge explosion follows, fire burning everything.

"_They had planned it all along...that trap..."_

"_Is this...death...?"_

Everything burns, everything's hazy. Everything's...quiet.

And Ino dares to open her eyes, hoping to see dark brown eyes with that glimmer...

And she sees dark orbs, looking at her.

Familiar pale face...thin, bloodless lips...dark hair, bangs falling on the dark eyes...dark eyes with sharingan in them...

Sasuke...the traitor of Konoha...the prodigy of the Uchiha clan...Was it him? Did he activate the trap...?

Suddenly, Ino's brain register that the burning stopped. She lifts herself slightly from his arms and looks around to see unmoving bodies of her teammates.

"_Sasuke...why...?"_

"_Now it's my turn to protect you."_

"_What...Ah!"_

Bending down, Sasuke kisses the opening of her shirt.

His lips...are so cold...

And as he moves upwards, kissing her neck and the spot under her ear, her eyes close in content, and comforting blackness surrounds her as she thinks about the ice that lays on her shoulders and neck, constantly fading and returning with more force...

...and then, she feels nothing.

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A/N: Well, from the next or the one after the next, I'm moving this fic into Sasuke x Ino category. Please, review! 


	2. Chapter 01

A/N: I just came back from my friend's birthday party. It was sooo great! 

Anyways, please review! I'm so sorry for making Sasuke OOC. I hope that later chapters will explain it at least a bit.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

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He didn't know what possessed him to do such. His original plan was to go back to Konoha and show everyone the body of Orochimaru. He never wanted to save any kunoichi nor did he want to kiss her.

And on top of it, he didn't kiss her on the lips. No, he kissed her neck, cheeks, shoulders, even ears- but not lips.

Why not? And why was he now wandering through the forest with Orochimaru's head in his bag and an unconscious girl in his arms?

Maybe...maybe because of that letter...or maybe because of what Itachi said to him on their last encounter.

Right now, he had to reach Konoha, dump that girl in the hospital and show Tsunade Orochimaru's head. Then, he could do whatever he wanted...

...but that meant possibly death.

He wasn't able to kill his brother. He wasn't able...so, if Itachi was right about him being weak, maybe he was also right about this girl...

"_No", _Sasuke thought, his speed increasing_, "I won't mess her into it. I don't want her to experience the same thing as me. Itachi...Itachi has to think I died from his hands. Itachi can't know about..._

_...her. I'll tell Tsunade everything. Every detail. Every crime I made. Every shinobi of Leaf I killed. Then she'll do whatever she has to do."_

As he started to run, he looked once again at the sleeping girl in his arms.

"_I will protect her. I owe it to you, Nara. But you know what? You were right about her. She really is..."_

He didn't dare to finish this thought.

_Am I...dead? Shikamaru, shouldn't you be with me?_

"_Ino"._

"_Sakura."_

The pink haired kunoichi sat by her, adjusting her pillows and sheets on the hospital bed.

"_Ino...what happened during your mission? We found you outside the hospital, almost healed. And...just after that_" Sakura couldn't bring herself to say the breaking news to Ino,_"...just...what happened?"_

"_Sakura,"_ Ino exhaled deeply, although she didn't know why was she so happy to be with her. _"I remember that a trap was activated and...that...my teammates are dead...and...someone saved..."_

"_Was it Sasuke?"_ Sakura asked in a sharp tone. The surprise on Ino's face was evident.

"So...it wasn't a dream..." The blond kunoichi murmured softly.

"_So, that's how it is. That explains at least a little bit." _Sakura took a deep breath_. "Ino, Tsunade requested to see you, and I think you're healed enough to see her."_

"_Can I...first..."_

"_Of course,"_ Sakura's face soften. It wasn't her job to tell Ino what exactly happened. It was Tsunade's. _"I'm sure she'll understand."_

_Shikamaru, I'm back. I'm alive. It shouldn't be like this, you know? You should be here, with me, welcoming me back, congratulating a successful mission. Where are you, Shika? Are you already in my heart?_

"_No,"_ Ino whispered, clutching her chest tightly_, " You were always there."_

A moment of silence.

"_I have to go. Maybe this time we'll meet."_

_Is my fate to wait and hope for death?_

"_Yamanaka Ino reporting to duty, Hokage-Sama."_ said Ino, stepping into the office.

"_Ino. Sit down."_

As Ino sat, Tsunade looked at the young girl. Something wasn't right...her previous bossy and demanding character disappeared long ago, about two years...but at least she could see the will to live before and now...her blue eyes seemed duller...as if the girl was begging death to come for her.

_It still has to do something with the Nara's death, I think..._

"_Ino, I know what you feel. I know that it's hard to continue living without him."_ She said softly_. "I wasn't much younger than you when I lost my first precious person. My younger brother, so cheerful."_ She smiled at the memory_. "He was so much like Naruto, also wanting to become the next Hokage. Just like Uzumaki, he always said he wanted to protect the village and everyone in it- everyone important to him."_ Her eyes shimmered with the memories_. "It hurt. Sometimes I wanted to die. I continued with life but I couldn't live."_

"_Hokage-Sama...why are you telling me this?"_

"_But both, my brother and Nara-San did what was important to them. They did what they thought was right. Even if they gave their lives for it, it was something they believed in, something they thought was worth dying for."_ she carried on speaking, as if Ino wasn't there anymore. _"If that's the case, maybe I can think they died happy."_

"_But...why him...it hurts so much..."_ Tears were now flowing slowly on Ino's cheeks and falling from her chin. _"Chouji told me that he...he...always he...I...too...I..." _Giving up communication by using speech, she simply grasped the hand of the older woman and sat in silence, slightly sobbing and hiccuping, knowing that Tsunade understood what she was trying to tell her.

"_Yamanaka-San,"_ Tsunade broke the silence, seeing as the girl was calmer now. Or maybe she cried all the tears she had. _"I have a new mission for you. As you may know, Sasuke returned, killing Orochimaru."_

"_He...did?"_ Asked Ino dully, still uncaring. Sasuke could do a polka dance in a pink tutu and she wouldn't be surprised.

The Hokage slowly closed her eyes.

_Shikamaru, I hope you'll not hate me for this._

_SLAP!_

Ino's head was turned to the side, cheek red with a hand print.

"Ino Yamanaka! I am very disappointed with you! Up till now, you carried your duties successfully! What changed?" 

"_I'm sorry...Hokage-Sama...it's just...I thought I would finally die...and..."_

"_Well, you didn't die. I thought you'd be used to this kind of lifestyle by now...especially..."_

"_Yes, Hokage-Sama."_ Ino didn't want to hear the ending._" I am ready for your orders."_

"_Good. So, as I was saying, Sasuke Uchiha returned. He told me some...interesting things but I'm afraid that he's hiding something even more interesting. He is currently kept in my cell. I want you to use your mind techniques and see everything that he has in his mind. Every memory. Every detail."_

_Then, maybe you'll understand...Shikamaru...I'm not sure if what you did was right...I hope so..._

"_I've already told everyone that you have my permission to enter it. And..."_ slightly hesitating, Tsunade got up, followed by Ino. _"Maybe...you could talk to Sakura. I let her visit him, just once."_

"_I will. And...Thank you."_ Ino bowed slightly, going out.

_Only you can understand Ino..._

--- 

"_I heard you visited him, Sakura."_

No answer.

"_Tell me, how is he? I'm going to visit him tomorrow, so..."_

"_...Cold and silent."_

"_Oh."_

"_He said I was annoying. He said that he hated me. He said that...that..."_ Sakura broke into tears, burying her head in her knees. _"His eyes...they told me everything. I...always...I..."_

Ino closed her eyes, one arm embracing Sakura's shoulders.

_Shikamaru...I didn't die. I'm sorry, we can't be together, not yet. But...as soon as I...I...will...I will die soon, I can feel it. Don't worry, I won't kill myself. I couldn't do that anyway, ne, Shika? I couldn't...you..._

Her tears also falling, she suddenly pressed Sakura's head on her shoulder.

"_I'm sorry, Ino...I...so stupid...I'm..."_ Sakura was choking on her tears and sobs. _"It had to awful when he died, right? At least Sasuke is still alive...and..."_

"_Yes,"_ Ino whimpered, somehow her head finding place on Sakura chest, the medic's hand stroking her blond head_. "But...then Chouji told me what Shika felt when he was dying...and I... thought how I was always waiting for him, never being able to see him enough. He died...Shikamaru died and I stayed alive. I shouldn't have...I...Shikamaru...you know, he always protected me. And now, when it's too late I saw him...I saw his open heart and arms. I saw...If only I could...turn back time...if only I could feel his arms around me just one more time...him kissing me, even just a mere peck on a cheek...I would gladly give my life for it."_ Sakura's shirt was already wet, but she paid no attention. Her best friend was finally letting out her misery, breaking the shell she had from that dreadful day...she was finally moving on. "Shhh...Ino, shhh..." It was Sakura's turn to be comforting. "You know, I think Shikamaru felt the same. That's why he died happy. And now...now he's probably watching you, lying on a cloud...and hearing all these things is making him so happy...you just made him so happy...so happy...that if he could, he would probably dance. Even if it's so troublesome." Sakura chuckled lightly, feeling her own eyes watering again. Sasuke, Shikamaru...why them?

"_You will see him someday Ino. One day...maybe you'll see him as a cloud, as a bird or somebody...and...as long as he's in your heart, you'll see him in everything that's good. You will..."_ unable to continue, Sakura cried with her friend, hugging her tightly.

After a while, she stood up, pulling a dizzy Ino with her.

"_You have a mission starting tomorrow. You need a strong mind."_ _You need to bring him back_, Sakura thought but she didn't say it. She didn't want to put pressure on Ino_. "Go home and rest."_

Both went in different direction. The sun was setting.

When she came on a small road, her house barely visible, the stars started to show. A gentle, violet shade was coloring the sky, mixing with gentle blue.

_So beautiful...Shikamaru, you're here, right? That's you, ne?_

As cold wind passed her, playing with the wet strands of her hair and she thought she heard his warm voice whispering something to her ear.

_Yes, Ino. I'm here.

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A/N: Well, from the next or the one after the next, I'm moving this fic into Sasuke x Ino category. Please, review! 


	3. Chapter 02

A/N: If someone's is still reading this crap, I have some news. Right now, I'm totally into my newest fic (which is, by the way, turning out pretty nicely) but I will finish this one. Maybe even sooner than you expect...Anyways, please review and check out my fic 'Shinobi's Life', it's still fresh so I need some encouragment! 

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

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The atmosphere was humid and dark. The only source of light was a dimly lit candle on the wall. The glow of the fire reflected in sharingan eyes. Those same eyes that were now cold and unfeeling were so different from the black orbs, once mixed with emotions she saw not long ago...

_This is my safest mission since Shika wasn't here to protect me..._

"_Sasuke...I'm Yamanaka Ino. Hokage-Sama assigned me to get all the information you possess about Akatsuki."_

"_...Are you going to torture me?"_ smirking, Sasuke imagined the blonde trying to do so.

"_No...I'm going to break into your mind, using my family techniques. But first...Why did you make Sakura cry?"_

"_She's weak. And annoying. She cries even when I'm not saying anything."_

"_She's crying because you're not talking. Talk to her, Sasuke. You owe her."_

"_Owe her!"_ snarled Sasuke, eyes glowing with a merciless flicker, _"I saved her life, I supported her, and-"_

"_She saved your life more than you can count. When you were gone, she still believed that you would come back to us- to her. She waited...and h-hoped..."_ feeling the lump in her throat rising and unable to continue, Ino automatically blinked back the tears and bowed her head.

For a moment, there was total silence.

"_...How about you?"_ Sasuke's quiet voice echoed in the room.

With her head still bowed, the lump slightly fading, Ino managed to whisper_, "I lost all hope years ago."_

"_You hoped about me?"_ his heart started to beat unnaturally fast. He had to know the truth; maybe then, Itachi was right...maybe he really was...

"_I hoped for return." Not only yours_, she added in her head_. "Just please, talk to Sakura. She still loves you. She always has. I...I...owe it to her, to help her be happy."_ A brief memory of many sleepless nights, crying into pillows and comforting words of Sakura that helped her shake out of the depression she had...and suicidal thoughts.

"_If you ask me, then maybe I will."_ But he still had to ask, he had to_..."Didn't you love me too?"_ his voice was carefully cleared from any excitement, only quiet curiosity and disinterest. A memory of her arms around his neck, her breasts pressing to his back and her flowery scent lingering on her long hair...

"_I don't know if it was love. But I know that I don't feel it now."_ Ino stared at him blankly, an unemotional expression on her face.

Neither of them said a word as Ino performed the proper hand seals to break into his memories, Sasuke's eyes watching her every movement.

---

"_Here's the report of my first meeting with Sasuke Uchiha,"_ said Ino, throwing a pile of papers on Tsunade's desk.

"_Thank you, Ino. Have you seen anything..."_ Tsunade paused, looking for a better word but with no success. _"...that interests you?"_

"_Of course, Hokage-Sama,"_ Ino looked at the older woman with surprise_, "everything is fascinating about Akatsuki plans. I'm sure that this knowledge will help Konoha a lot to avoid a new war."_

"_Ah. I see." So she hadn't seen this part of Sasuke's past...did he managed to hide it? "I still wish for you to see the Uchiha. You have to be sure that nothing, I repeat, nothing is hidden."_

"_I shall do it, Hokage-Sama."_

"_Good. Dismissed."_

"_Why are you here again? I thought I already showed you everything."_ Sasuke's voice was uninviting, totally different from his real feelings. If you sat all day in a dark cell, alone, everyone's company is welcomed. Though, for some reason, Sasuke suspected that he would never find Ino's company not welcomed.

"_Tsunade wants to be sure that you didn't hide anything."_ Ino's cold, blue eyes watched carefully his reaction.

"_There's nothing."_ Ino caught the slight flicker of panic in his eyes.

_He knows something._

"_Nevertheless, I'm going to try until Tsunade dismisses me." _

_She knows_, Sasuke thought. _The old hag knows that...that..._

"_Have you thought about Sakura?"_ Ino's voice interrupted his thoughts. He winced. Is that pinky wimp everything she thinks of? Are they so close? What had she done for Ino that she feels so much in debt?

_It would be fun to know..._

"_When you're ready, I'll bring her here. I want you to talk to her. I want you to b-be with...with..."_ That's not what I want, Ino suddenly realized, _I want him to..._

Her heartbeat quickened...

_I want him to..._

Her mind filled with memories of cold lips and dark eyes...

_I want him to be..._

His eyes stared at her, filling with emotions once more...

_I want him to be with..._

Shikamaru's face appeared and disappeared in her mind...

_I want him to be with...me._

When the realization struck her, she gasped. Could it be that she...she was, once again...?

_No!_ her mind cried, _I won't betray Sakura like she betrayed...me?_

_Yes, she did. She betrayed me for him. So, why wouldn't I do the same?_

_No. I don't care anymore. She can have him. Sasuke should make the decision, anyway. I won't be the same stupid twelve-year old. After what happened...I won't do anything, I'll just wait...for someone to make things right for me._

_Besides, Sasuke is a traitor. For now, at least._

She could swear that she heard Shikamaru's voice in her head.

_Don't make the same mistake, Ino._

When she looked at Sasuke again, she was struck by the expression on his face. It was...amazing, full of...warmth and care.

_Ino I want to be with you too..._ Sasuke thought, thanking god for his sharingan. He managed to remember the seals Ino used and he could now use them to break into her mind. He knew that...that...

_She has to know._

_If I want to be with her...even if she doesn't care...I have to show her the truth. One of the reasons why my family is dead. The reason I want to be with her. The reason I HAVE to be with her._

He waited patiently for her to break into his mind. Then, he uncovered one of his most recent memories: The encounter with Itachi.

Ino saw Itachi's face, speaking.

_This is something new._

"_Dear brother. Can't you understand that you won't defeat me? Never. Someone else is bound to do this. You haven't heard the fate of our clan? Well then, let me tell you the story of it..._

_I'm sure you know the Yamanaka clan. Some of their ancestors had the ability to foresee the future. One day, many years ago, they saw the end of Uchiha clan. They predicted the birth of a child who will kill his parents, leaving only his younger brother alive. Sound familiar, dear Sasuke? I'm sure it does. But they also predicted...that one day, from Uchiha and Yamanaka union, a child would be born. A boy, so strong that he would surpass everyone and become the next Hokage. A true genius, mind walker shinobi with sharingan..._

_As you can see, I couldn't allow it. That's why I slaughtered everyone. And I left you alive because, well...how can someone THAT weak, create a child who will be so strong? Answer: there's no way you can do it. That's why you weren't a danger to me...but, I guess, it won't hurt killing you now, right? Prepare to die, younger brother..._

Everything started to fade...she suddenly felt weak, very weak...both from shock and using her technique...she fainted, right into Sasuke's arms. The last thing she saw were his concern-filled eyes.


	4. Chapter 03

A/N: Well, here you go. Another chapter. Recently I came to a conclusion: My fics are crappy. REALLY crappy. But still, bear with it and please review! I'm having such a hard time now, Thank God spring break will be near. And today I failed my math's test. What's more, I have a german tests tomorrow and I know NOTHING. Oh well, screw this. I'm feeling unmotivated to live. Your reviews might give me strength that there issomeone who actually reads what I write. 

Dislaimer: I don't own Naruto

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It was the same dimly lit cell, yet something had changed. The silence wasn't as deafening as before. Instead of one person's quiet breathing, you could hear a another one joining it. Both breaths were coming slower and calmer then before. The light wasn't flickering only in black orbs, but also in blond hair, spilled over a muscular arm and almost touching ground. The hair owner's head was also resting in the same arm, the rest of her body lying in the boy's- man's- lap. The cell was cold, but the young femme didn't seem to realize it as she lay in Sasuke's protective embrace, with his arms encircling her body. Though she wore very little clothing, her cheeks were rosy as she breathed on Uchiha's chest.

His eyes were fixed on Ino. A slight frown made its way onto his face.

_Why did she see Nara's face when she was thinking of me? _Once again, he performed the hand seals, using her family technique to break into her own memories.

Floating in her mind, he saw the plump ninja telling her about Shikamaru's death. He saw his funeral, how she cried, locking herself in her room not sleeping, not eating for days...

He saw how Sakura comforted her, how she trained furiously until she became an ANBU so she could take more dangerous missions. He read her thoughts about suicide and felt her longing after the lazy ninja...

He felt anger. Naturally at first, it was directed at Shikamaru, then redirected at himself for not being there for her, for not protecting her...anger, that he chose power and strength instead of friendship and maybe even love.

He failed to see her dreams about cold lips and warm body which carried her through the forest...

Suddenly, the sentence he read before in her mind, didn't seem so important. The same words that made his heart beat faster and a wave of warmth spread through him, now seemed to create only a dull ache in his chest. Ignoring it and wincing even more, he took a paper from his pocket. A letter that Tsunade let him keep..._Nara, you were so wrong._

_Uchiha, _

_We've never been close, so I'll be surprised if you recognized me. Before you read next parts, be sure that no one except you is reading this. _

_If any Akatsuki member laid his hands on it, things wouldn't be so nice for the both of us. _

_I managed to see through your plan. Quite sneaky, indeed; pretend to be Orochimaru's faithful slave so that you can get closer to your brother. Smooth. _

_I'm not stupid, Uchiha, in case you haven't been informed. I know your abilities as a ninja and you should be able to defeat Orochimaru one day, if you just train enough. I know that you'll come back someday._

_I think you owe me something, don't you? No, you probably think you don't. For your information, I was the leader of the team which was assigned to bring you back. Two members, including my best friend, almost died. I think it's more than enough to expect a favor from you._

_There's someone I like very much. Actually, I think it's beginning to transform into true love- if it isn't already. I have no idea, I was never good with girls._

_You know her well, Uchiha. My teammate, Yamanaka Ino._

_As long as I can, I will protect her. No matter how troublesome it is; with my life, if it's needed. I want you to promise me- of course, just in your mind, because we can't meet- that you'll do the same. When you'll come back, maybe it'll be your turn to save her. _

_That's all I ask. I know from experience that you can't force your heart into something you don't want, so I'm not asking you to love her. But you could show her some attention. We both know how much she...admires you. Since you left, she was very distant to everybody, but thankfully, I never saw her cry._

_And admit it Uchiha, you have something for her as well. I don't blame you- she's worth it. Don't you think I ever noticed how you never shook her off your back or arm? I also noticed the almost-invisible blush on your cheeks- very slight, but it was there with no doubt. So, just be true to yourself. I only wish to see her happy, all the time. Then my life won't be as troublesome like it has been for the past few months._

_I don't think I have to remind you to never show this letter to anybody. The life of a shinobi is troublesome and risky. I don't know if we'll ever actually meet, so I bid you farewell._

_Signed,_

_Nara Shikamaru_

_She loved him...and she still does_, Sasuke thought grimly, his hands tightening. _I wish...I wish I could turn back time, when she was still...No. I want to be with her no matter what. I have to have a son with her to defeat my brother. That's the only aim of my life. That's the fate...oh._

_Do I want to be with her only because of prophecy? Can I love her like she deserves it because of that?_ A smiling Sakura face briefly appeared in his mind as she was looking at Naruto with warmth...

_Can I look at her like that? Would I be cheating if...No. She fascinated me even before I knew about the prediction. Firstly, it was just slight respect and annoyance because of her loud ways but now..._

Another face appeared in his mind. A blond girl with blue eyes, staring at him blankly, saying; "_I don't know if it was love. But I know that I don't feel it now."_

_I do,_ Sasuke thought, stroking her head with one hand, _I know_.

No matter how much he tried to deny it...

No matter how much he tried to hide it...

No matter how much he tried to ignore it...

_I love her. I don't care if it is fate or prophecy or some other shit._

_Shikamaru, I guess you were a genius after all..._

---

Ino ran. She ran as fast as she could, trying to think about anything. She concentrated on her steps, blocking the feeling of warmth and comfort, so alien to her since Shika's death...

_Run!_ her mind cried, _Don't think!_

And as if her own mind was betraying her, she saw warm black eyes, sparkling with a certain feeling...

The feeling of his chest, his scent...the way she wanted nothing more than wrap her arms around his waist, feel his cold lips once again on her body and never let go...

Suddenly, her imagination created such a scene...she could almost feel his tongue in her mouth and on her lips...his arms wrapping around her frame, unbuttoning her shirt...

She blinked hard, trying to force the disturbing images away. Suddenly, she realized that she was sweating, her cheeks were hot and her breaths were coming out fast and rapid...even though she hadn't run that much. Her legs were trembling and she had to use all her power and will to run again, until she reached her destination.

"_Tsunade-sama, I need a mission, now_!" she gasped, trying to force pale lips from her mind, just like a certain pale face...and concentrate only on the older blond in front her. She succeeded only a little.

"_Why?"_ asked Tsunade; though she already suspected the answer.

_So, you do understood Ino...Nara Shikamaru, you truly were a genius..._

"Never mind, an A or even S-rank! Just let it be now and far away from here!" Ino replied. I need to get away from everything... 

"I'm sorry Ino, but..." Tsunade started.

"_I SAID I NEED A MISSION, NOW!"_

So, she's finally back...the Ino before Shikamaru's death, the original one. Sasuke, was it your doing? The Hokage asked herself.

"_Alright then, here you go. 5 chances of success, A-rank. Departure time in one hour. Next time, I won't tolerate such shouting...but just this once..."_

"_Great!"_ Ino growled, snatching the scroll and dashing through the door, almost knocking poor Shizune off her balance.

_You can run Ino, but you can't hide...

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_

A/N: Please review and check out my other fics too! i'm having kind of breakdown...sorry for my ramblings. 


	5. Chapter 04

A/N: OMG, I used to update so fast and nowsuch along break. I'm sorry...Anyways, Thank you everyone who reviewed, it really helped! I'm having a chemistry test in few hours but this time, I'm prepared. I intent to finish this fic before summer holidays, so bear with me a little longer, okay? 

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

* * *

They had been moving for hours. Their target was getting closer, Ino could feel it. Monotonously, she jumped on new branches, trees passing her in blur. Drops stated to hit her mask, gently sliding down. The strands of her hair became glued to her back, neck and shoulders.

_"Not too bad. It'll be more difficult to target us."_

She didn't mind rain. It was kind of depressing, but there was also longing, nostalgia in it...some kind of a magic atmosphere. When she was little, she hated rain. She couldn't go out, she couldn't see the sun. Her mum would always read her stories or she would draw- that was the only bright side to those drops falling from the sky. Right now, Ino liked rain. It reminded her of her own life for the past two years. The sun was gone and tiny drops were falling from bright blue eyes, almost all the time.

Suddenly, she heard her teammate's scream, full of surprise and pain. Speeding, she witnessed one of her comrades fall from the tree, leaving a red mark matching his fall. She saw a big group of enemy ninja and, with a battle cry, jumped right in the middle of a battle.

Shurinkens and kunais were flying everywhere, no one knowing which belong to who. The sound ninja were very fast, moving sometimes with the speed of...sound. One moment behind you, the other killing your partner. They were very skilled, using a high ranked jutsu, one after other. Shinobis were dying all around her and she didn't even know if there were any of her comrades left. If there was any hope left. The were coming out of nowhere and had a never ending chakra and weapons. Or, so it seemed to her at this time.

She managed to defend herself quite well, at least till now. Only a few scratches and cuts. She also managed to bring down a few weaker ninja.

"_Now, what do we have here?"_ A loud, arrogant voice asked. In a second Ino turned to face him. He was extremely tall and had enormous muscles. It was obvious that his specialty was taijutsu, though he didn't have that grace Lee possessed.

She prepared to fight him. She knew that it wouldn't be easy, but would rather die trying than run from a battle. She wasn't a scared twelve year old anymore.

She managed to endure a few stronger hits that left big wounds all over her body. Two times she tried to take control of his own. She failed; he was too big.

_"Duck!"_ Lee's voice suddenly echoed through the battle sounds. The next thing she knew, she was being pressed to the ground, a familiar voice yelling "_Konoha Wind Strike!"_ and then the giant was lying flat on the ground with Lee underneath his leg.

_"Lee..."_ She breathed, as she watched him trying unsuccessfully to get the leg of him. Then, his movement stopped. He was clearly unconscious. She managed to crawl to him, with a kunai in her thigh. She was very low on chakra. Her movements weren't as fast and graceful anymore and not many weapons hit their target.

She looked at him, her eyes wide with fear. He was unconscious and the weight of the leg cut his source of oxygen almost completely. She didn't even try to move it. She was too weak to even lift her arms.

Rock Lee was still breathing and that comforted her greatly. She knew that SOMEONE from her team had to be fighting or else she would have been dead by now. And that someone was probably Naruto; she could clearly hear his shouts.

_But Lee is the best shinobi with us, except Naruto and he can't do everything; This is not good at all..._

"_I have no choice..."_ Slowly, very slowly she reached to her transmitter. The giant's body was covering her from getting more injuries but it wouldn't last long. Especially now that she felt a group of people emanating foreign chakra, coming her way, very quickly.

"_Yamanaka Ino here, Konoha please respond!"_

"_This is Tsunade. What's going on?"_

"_Hokage-sama! We need back up, now! There're lots of enemies here and even more are coming, we won't-"_

"_Calling for help, eh, you Leaf cowards?"_ A ninja, with a terribly scarred face, ripped the machine from her ear. _"You don't need help anymore."_ And before Ino could actually recover from shock and summon her energy to run, he hit her on the back of the head with all his force.

"_I think we might take you with us when this is over...you may possess some interesting information..."_ With those words ringing in her head, Ino fainted, her head falling next to Lee's.

Two years earlier, Ino would have been happy that death was coming to her. Now, she was very afraid of dying...What changed? And why the blackness looked like someone's eyes and soft hair...?

"_This is not good..."_ Tsunade rested her head on her hand. _"Not good at all. We don't have free jounins and any lower rank is no use."_ With a heavy sigh, she buried her face in her hands_. "What am I supposed to do?"_

"_Excuse me, Tsunade."_

The Hokage lifted his head to look at the dark haired woman, standing in the entry. _"What is it, Shizune?"_

"_I think I know someone who we could send there."_ Shizune looked really unsure; as if, just suggesting it was a bad sin.

"_Who?"_ Tsunade found it hard to believe, but listening wouldn't hurt, right?

"_Sasuke Uchiha."_ said Shizune in one quick breath.

"_What? He's a traitor! We cannot sent a traitor to-"_

"_He's thought to be a traitor. But from what we've seen, things seem slightly different, don't they?"_ Now, Shizune looked more sure of herself.

"_Well, yes but...oh, what choice do we have? Bring him in."_

"_Right away, Hokage-sama."_

Tsunade sighed and looked out of the window. Somewhere, far away from here, Konoha ninjas are dying... 

She sat thoughtfully until the door opened again, this time a dark haired man entering, followed closely by Shizune.

"_Sasuke. I need to know something. If...I decided that you're innocent, and you'd be cleaned from every crime you're accused of, what would you want to do? Remember that I can see a lie, no matter how good at making up stories you are."_ Tsunade sat, watching him carefully, her back straight.

"_...I'd...I'd want to stay here and continue with my life as a Leaf shinobi."_ Sasuke answered, looking straight into Hokage's eyes. Memories he got with his team, all missions he completed...Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi...all four of them smiling...

"_Why?"_

This one simple question brought him back from his dream land. He frowned. Why, exactly why did he want it? True, he wanted it to be like it used to but...that wasn't the main reason...

"_I want to be with her."_ Those words, without his knowledge, got outside. How, he would never know.

"_So that the predicament will come true?"_ Now, Tsunade doubled her attention. On this one simple answer...depended the life of many shinobis.

"_No, I want to be with her no matter what. Even if she doesn't care and rejects me. I'm still...willing to open my heart for her."_

"_Big words for someone like you, Uchiha. How did you manage to say them?"_ Feeling as if a great weight was released from her shoulders, Tsunade allowed herself to smile and close her eyes. A short, spike-haired boy passed through her mind.

"_If you spent days in a dark cell, alone, you might find time to think things over too." _Now, he was back to normal. He scowled.

"_Alright, alright. Here, "_ The Hokage opened one of her drawers and pulled something from it, _"this is your new headband. And this," _she threw him a scroll, _"is your newest mission."_

"_So soon? And I don't have to even say sorry?"_ A little disbelievingly, Sasuke took both things from her.

"_Apologizing will come later, I'll...think it over."_ Tsunade smirked a little, various scenarios coming to her mind, one with Sasuke as a butler, handing her a big breakfast into a queen sized bed_, "but now, you should hurry. Ino Yamanaka is on that mission and it seems that she's in mortal troubles."_ Despite the seriousness of the situation, Tsunade smiled again watching as Uchiha's eyes grow bigger and as he dashed out of the room, knocking Shizune over. Her smile fell as she remembered a certain mission, very similar to this one. A mission when Konoha lost their last strategist.

"_Let's hope that this time it'll turn out to be fine."

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_

A/N: Hey, isn't it turning really crappy? It is, right? It's sooo OOC and silly. Ugh, I hate my writing. Oh yea, I have a certain number of reviews I want for this story so I won't update until I get it. So, everyone please update for the sake of the others! 


	6. Chapter 05

A/M: In the end, I didn't get as much reviews as I wanted. At first, I felt like dumping this story but then...I thought that maybeit just wasn't worth those 20 reviews for 5 parts. And I don't like leaving my fics unfinished.Please, review! Flame all you want, just leave a sign that you read this fic! 

Thank you, **Francesca,** and your friends. Actually, thanks to youI posted this chapter.

* * *

Sasuke ran. It may seem nothing special, as it wasn't the first time he ran, jumping from tree to tree, grabbing one branch and letting it go in the same second. But it was the first time he ran as a Konoha ninja, after many years of absence.

Right now, he wasn't concentrating on running. He was trying to communicate through his transmitter to the Konoha team.

The one his reason for such mad speed was... and Ino Yamanaka.

"_Team 25, respond! This is Konoha ninja, your back up, speaking!"_ _Please respond...Ino, anyone, please...not my first mission...not this one..._

"_This is team 25 speaking!"_ A familiar voice replied. Too familiar.

"_Naruto, dope? That's you?"_ Sasuke couldn't believe his ears; but he could recognize Uzumaki's voice anywhere.

"_Yes...Sasuke-teme, is that you?"_ Naruto knew this voice. This specific cold voice, now somehow different but still...the same.

"_Yea. Long time no see, dope. How are things over there?"_ Sasuke snickered. Hearing Naruto's voice was too much for him to control his sudden joy.

"_I knew it! Nobody else who calls me 'dope' is still alive!"_ Naruto shouts almost made him deaf. Looks like things hadn't changed that much. _"You better hurry, teme, things aren't good. Actually, I'm beginning to think that I'm the only one fighting in our team. Lee's unconscious, Setama's nowhere to see, the same as Rakiku, not to mention all those injured that are currently lying-"_

"_How about Ino?"_ asked Sasuke, dread gripping his heart. He had troubles with breathing now; maybe that strange lump in his throat was the reason for it...

"_Huh? Ino? Teme, when did you start worrying about her?"_ With a sudden pang in his heart, Sasuke realized that Naruto's innocent question had a lot of truth. He never acted as if he cared. Right now, he hoped to change that. He wasn't obsessed with revenge anymore; he knew that someone else would do it for him. Orochimaru was killed and the seal stopped being a threat. He was...free.

"_I...always have. I was just too..."_ Sasuke trailed, searching for right word. Stupid, blind and obsessed were the most truthful, but he was too proud to say them aloud.

"_Stupid? Blind? Obsessed? Bastard__ly? A stuck-up idiot who..."_ Naruto, being his normal forward self, never played with words.

"_Shut up, dope. I get the point." _Sasuke growled. He was an Uchiha and, Uchihas, weren't insulted easily, even if they deserved it.

"_Hehehehe...glad to hear you still have your brain and sense of humor."_ A brief sound of metal hitting metal was heard, Naruto's loud shouts, and there was silence.

Sasuke waited patiently and he was rewarded when once again, the same voice spoke.

"_I don't know how she is. She was by Lee and some guys were trying to take her but I stopped them. Now I can't see her...but she didn't look too good! You know, with her bloodline she should be a spy, not a fighter, but you know how stubb-"_ Naruto's voice was once again cut, this time with a howl of pain. _"Damn! Teme, hurry!" _

And there was silence once again.

Sasuke cursed and increased his speed. He should be there in no time... or so he hoped.

_She didn't look too good..._

_What if I lose her as well? What if...?_

_No._ Sasuke's eyes flashed angrily, activating sharingan. _Not this time. I'm not a child anymore. I won't make the same mistake. Just...wait a little more Ino._

And finally, he began to hear noise of fighting. It was getting louder and he could hear Uzumaki's voice shouting with rage...

_Ino, I'm here. Nara, I will keep that promise._

Pulling out several shurikens, various sizes, he threw them, careful to avoid the blond spot that seemed to be everywhere.

His stomach lurched as Naruto was thrown on the tree, breaking it and landing far away...every other blond haired jounins disappearing.

He was able to see it now, with his sharingan. Very clever copies, made from mud probably, were fighting. Instead of a whole army of Rain ninja's, there were barely three, the rest of the originals dead.

"_Dope, how did you make it to jounin rank? You can't even use your eyes!"_ shouted Sasuke, throwing kunais into every copy and pulling on the strings of shurikens. The same old trick, just like the one in the Forest of Death, during the Chuunin Exam.

"_Teme, don't insul__t me! I'm going to be the next Hokage-" _Naruto's scream flew past him just like the owner of the voice _"-so don't underestimate me! After all YOU'RE still a genin!"_ He snickered, punching one of the true ninja in the gut with his hand glowing with chakra.

"_Heh, what would you do without me, dope? A jounin-"_ Sasuke's shurikens hit the target, causing the rain ninja to come out from their hiding place _"-who can't manage without a genin? Pathetic!"_ They stood, back to back as they looked with the same determination at the last remaining ninja.

"_Just like the old days, eh Sasuke-teme?"_ Naruto asked, strange seriousness in his voice despite the smug expression.

"_Yea."_ Agreed the black haired man with a hidden smirk.

The rain ninja stood, paralyzed with fear at the force emanated by them. He didn't move an inch when both of them, shouting battle screams, launched themselves at him with kunais in their hands.

With this sight before him, he closed his eyes and allowed them to kill him.

_When there's no hope, there's no life._

"_Whew, that was hard."_ Sighed Naruto, wiping his forehead. Sasuke snickered again.

"_Because you were fighting with thousands of copies, dope."_

"_Shut up, teme! Not everyone has such eyes you know!" _

"_Heh."_ Sasuke finally felt at home. As strange as it sounds, here, with this blond haired loudmouth and at Konoha's side, was his place. No matter if it was on a clearing, with lots of mud and blood everywhere, various bodies lying around him... it was still a part of his real home. A great feeling of happiness, relief and freedom washed over him. Right now, he felt as if he understood everything. He felt as if Orochimaru never existed, his brother was dead, and he was free from worries for the rest of his life.

"_But I do admit it. You're pretty good."_ He flashed the blond jounin a small smile, who answered by grinning from ear to ear_. "I won't be ashamed to fight you again, someday."_

"_Heh, same goes for me, Sasuke. I can't wait to kick your ass!"_

"_Well, that'll have to wait. First, we-"_ Sasuke abruptly stopped.

_Ino!_

_How could I forget? Every second is precious._

"_Dope, where's Ino?"_ Naruto's laughter stopped. His brew furrowed.

"_I have no idea...try looking near Lee...I'll collect everyone else and we'll wait for the medics to come. They should be here any minute now."_ Nodding, Sasuke went frantically looking for pale blond hair, lying somewhere in mud and blood...

After what seemed ages, he saw it.

Pale blond wasn't the same. Her hair was red, redder than Sakura's, redder than Gaara's...it was all bloodied.

He stopped for a moment, paralyzed with the sight. Her body was all covered in red spots and mud. From many cuts on her skin, blood was seeping slowly. He watched it, hypnotized, as scarlet drops dripped, one by one from the cut on her cheek, going lower, leaving marks on her neck, staining her already soaked shirt...

And what's more, her expression...full of sadness and pain.

Sasuke felt his chakra raising.

_How dare they..._

His hands were flexing, tightening into fists so tightly that his own blood dripped from his palms. He started to wish that her tormentors were still alive so he could torture them...show them exactly what touching his girl meant...

"_Teme, don't stand there! Take her and run to Konoha!"_ Naruto's voice broke him from his blood thirsty rage. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

"_Right. But what about-"_

"_Since when did you care? Their life's not endangered; they can wait for the medics. As for Ino, the sooner she gets to hospital, the better. And admit it,"_ Naruto flashed the sharingan user a strange, Jiraiya-like smile, _"You want to carry her, ne?"_

Uchiha remained silent. True, it would be more then pleasant to place his hands on her back and thighs and once again press her body tightly to his, but...

"Fine." Grumbling, he gently took the girl in his arms, bridal style, almost instinctively pressing her to him, wanting to feel her body so closely to his once more...

"_Just take care of Sakura, Naruto."_ Sasuke already turned his back to the blond ninja, so he had to tilt his head backwards to glare at the young man_. "I'm serious. If you hurt her, I'll hunt you down and kill you. I promise."_

Naruto grinned. _"Not everyone is as cold hearted as you, teme."_ His face once again turned serious. _"But I promise, I will take good care of her. And you take good care of,"_ he nodded his head towards the limp body in Sasuke's arms, _"her. She deserves it."_

"I know." Quietly replied Uchiha, before jumping on a branch, speeding towards Konoha.

Her home. His home. Their home.

_Damnit, where are they taking her? _Sasuke growled mentally, dashing after a group of medics who were carrying Ino's limp body. He had been running at his top speed for two hours before he reached Konoha hospital and by that time, Ino's condition got even worse. She lost lots of blood, many wounds opening by the impact of his run, even if he tried to carry her as carefully as possible. He couldn't stop even for a moment to cover them, to block the blood from flowing. He didn't want to live blaming himself for the rest of his life. He didn't want to be the cause of death to even more shinobis. He didn't want to be 'too late' ever again.

The medics carried Ino's body into an emergency room and shut the door right in his face. Grunting, he began to go through every technique he knew, trying to find one that could get him to Ino. His thoughts were interrupted by a soft hand on his shoulder.

"_Don't worry. It'll be fine."_ Sakura said in an unusually quiet voice, not raising her bowed head as she passed by him and entered the operation room.

_"Ino,"_ Sasuke choked, slipping slowly on the floor. Suddenly it came crushing on him, so hard like never before. Ino might DIE. Those three words held so much power, too much for him to face it. He sat there, unmoving, not thinking, not feeling.

_"Hey, how are things?"_ Someone said, passing him and sitting by his side, on the floor. He turned his head to see Naruto's familiar face studying his own. "_I'm sorry, man."_ The blonde's eye held a very rare glimpse of sympathy and regret. _"I swear, I didn't know she was in such bad condition."_

Sasuke couldn't speak past the lump in his throat. Desperate panic once again entered his body, making every bone, every cell immobile. _"I-Ino,"_ he breathed. _"If only I knew it sooner...I just got her back, Naruto. I don't want to lose her now. Not ever."_ There it was. His confession, all his feelings summoned into one sentence. He half-expected Naruto to laugh, but relief washed over him as he felt a pat on his arm.

"_I know. We've grown up, Sasuke. I wouldn't know what to do if Sakura left, too."_

"_Remember what you promised me, dope. I don't want her to suffer." _Despite his temporary mental breakdown, Uchiha still managed to find the strength to growl. But then, the memories of those sleepless nights he spent crying into his pillow as a ten year old...when his parents were gone...brutally slaughtered by Itachi Uchiha, his own admired older brother.

Sasuke hiccuped, squeezing his eyes tightly to hide his small tears from Naruto_. "I lost my parents. I don't want to experience the feeling of losing someone I love again."_

"_Stop it."_ Ordered Naruto, slapping him gently on the arm. _"Sakura's in there, right? Along with the best Konoha medics, they're working on her. It'll be fine."_

Sasuke hadn't moved or made any other sign that he understood.

"_You should tell her how you feel, you know."_

Sasuke's head snapped, suddenly turning to the blond haired man. _"Funny, it coming from you."_ He snickered.

"_I'm telling Sakura what I feel every day!"_ Naruto scowled, glaring at the sharingan user.

"_Shouting her name in the middle of crowded street isn't a confession of love, Naruto. You should tell her how YOU feel. That you want to spend your life with her, that you won't hurt her again..."_ Sasuke's eyes became strangely misty, _"that you won't leave her. You should tell her that she is the only one for you. And also, that you would open your heart for her...even if she doesn't care."_ Now his eyes became dull_. "God, why? Why, when I finally understood..."_

"_You mistook me for some teme, Sasuke."_ Naruto grinned, then turned serious again.

"_We'll both tell them."_

Sasuke nodded, not knowing what he else he could do.

They sat like that for some time, Naruto occasionally disappearing to bring them some ramen.

"_How long has it been?"_

"_I don't know." _

And it continued like that for hours.

Finally, Sakura came out from the room, slightly swerving.

"_Sakura-Chan? How is she?" _Naruto put a steady arm around her waist which the cherry blossom accepted gratefully, placing her own arm around the blonde's neck.

Sasuke also stood up, looking anxiously into the pink haired girl's eyes.

"_She's alive,"_ The medic finally spoke._ "but she endured a lot of injuries. She'll have to stay to recover for a few days."_

Sasuke nodded, sighing with relief. _"Can I...go in there?"_

Sakura eyed him carefully before nodding. _"Yea; I think you'll do her some good."_

And the pair left the Uchiha prodigy, whispering something into each other's ears.

Sasuke entered the room, his own heart bleeding as he saw the fragile, pale body in the bed. Her skin seemed even whiter than the bed sheets.

He cradled her bandaged hand in his.

"_Ino, please come back quickly. I want to make things right and I'll do it. All I need...is you. So, come back to me."_

He brought his mouth to her ear. _"You hear me? I need you, Ino."_

Some time passed. He didn't care how long. He felt really tired, all this emotional stuff made him so sleepy...

But somehow, he couldn't bring himself to sleep. Not when she was like this.

Though, it was comforting that her expression changed, at least. It was calm and peaceful. That loosened the little the chain that encircled his heart since he saw her, soaked in blood...

Feeling once again, tears in his eyes, he shut them tightly, choking a little...

And fainted, his head burring into Ino's side, his hand never loosening the tight grip on hers.

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A/N: The next chapter will be the last. So, please review! I have a writer's block...I need your support! 


	7. Chapter 06

#Sniff# Well, this is it. The last chapter. My first and only (at least, right now) Sasuke x Ino fic is finally done. 

I want to thank everyone who supported me by reviewing or in any other way. Thank you guys, you are truly awesome and I admire you all. You were able to pull through such a dumb story. I'm impressed.

Special thanks to: **Dom, Vivien, Lidia, **and **Francesca **(My virtual fanclub;) If it weren't for you, your encouragement and your helpful advices, this fic would probably never got finished. Your reviews helped me to pull through my writer's block and moments of depression. Without you, this story might not get finished at all.Thank you.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Some of the lines from the end come from Hillary's Duff song "The math". I don't own them.

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Everything was dark and quiet. Gradually, a regular beeping noise made it's way through his sleepy mind. Slowly opening his swollen eyes, Sasuke raised his head and blinked, still trying to force sleep from his eyes. 

There was a small, wet spot on the bed where his head laid. Almost automatically, Sasuke wiped his mouth. He always slept with his mouth open, when he was stressed and that caused saliva to leak out. He slept like that since...his parents' death? Yes, that's it. But...actually, since he returned to Konoha and met Ino, he noticed a lacking of saliva dripping from his mouth at nights.

Blinking continuously, Uchiha turned his head, looking around the room. His neck made a cracking sound and he winced. That's the price you pay when you sleep on your knees, resting your head on the bed, thus making your body lie still in an unnatural position for hours. His back felt quite in pain, too.

A pink blanket slowly slipped off his shoulders.

The sharingan user picked it up and examined it carefully. It looked familiar, but he couldn't remember covering himself with a blanket.

"_Good morning, Sasuke-kun."_

The boy turned around, only to be greeted with a sight of Sakura Haruno, sitting on a nearby chair.

"_Good morning, Sakura-chan_." Yawning and stretching, Sasuke changed his position to cross legged. An uncomfortable silence fell on them.

"_Um...thanks for the blanket."_ Sasuke broke the silence, trying to come up with anything to say. What's a guy supposed to say to a girl that loved him and he broke her heart?

"_No problem. I'm a medic, Sasuke. It's my job."_

Again, there was the same awkward silence.

The pink haired girl sighed and got up, kneeling by Sasuke.

"_Naruto told me what happened. Every word you said. Everything you did for Ino."_ There was a small pang of pain in her heart, but Sakura quickly dismissed it. She understood what she should do.

"_He did?" _The Uchiha prodigy was still feeling really uneasy; he had no idea what to expect.

"_Yes. And...Sasuke, I want you to know something. I care about you. I care a lot."_ Sakura took a deep breath, _" I even love you. I always had. But...I don't want you nor Ino to hold back because of my feelings. If it makes you both happy, be together."_ She placed her hand on his shoulders, feeling small tears gathering in her eyes, _"Knowing Ino, she will be very concerned about me. She always took care of me, since we were little."_ Smiling a little, she carried on, _"Now it's my turn. Tell her that you have my blessing. Tell her, I'm happy. And make her happy Sasuke. Or,"_ She smiled a little wider, chuckling to herself, _"I'll make sure that Naruto will make you suffer."_

Out of his still sleepy and dizzy mind, Sasuke managed to get one sentence: _"Sakura...Why?"_

Her smile seemed really sad when she turned her head, looking wistfully at the pale figure on the bed.

"_She always took care of me. When we were children, it was always me walking after her back, in her shadow. Just this once...I want to protect her."_ The medic raised her head sharply, looking straight into the man's eyes_. "She already suffered from one heartbreak, Sasuke. I don't want that to happen again, do you understand?"_ When the boy nodded, she got up and dusted her self. _"Good. Well, then, good-"_ A cold hand gripped her wrist and tugged her down. Cold lips pressed to her cheek.

"_Thank you, Sakura. I'm really grateful for you did for Ino. I'll never forget that, remember."_

A small jolt of happiness raised in Haruno's heart, only to die quickly when the dark haired man looked at the blond girl lovingly.

"_You're welcome, Sasuke-kun."_ Despite her sadness, a small smile tugged at her lips. _"Friends again?"_ she asked, offering him her hand.

"_Sure. Team 7 forever."_ Sasuke smiled, shaking her slender hand. It felt really good to be finally free from the nightmares of his past. Then, a sly grin made it's way on his face. _"Take care of this dumbass, Naruto, alright?"_

"_You-you know?" Why am I blushing?_ Thought Sakura, _it's not like I haven't hear those words from that loudmouth before...But...he never sounded so sincere..._

_I love you with all my heart, Sakura-san._

Sakura quickly banished the memories from the day before from her mind, focusing on the pair before her. _"I'll leave you two alone. She'll wake up any moment now and probably there'll be a quick and intense wave of pain after the surgery. You'll be the best painkiller for it, Sasuke-kun_." Sasuke nodded and pulled a chair closer to the bed, grasping thin fingers in his own.

Sakura turned to look at them, just one last time.

_Gambare, Sasuke-kun. _

Darkness. That was the only thing her mind seemed to understand. Some blurred figures passed by her eyes, but she was unable to tell who they were. She heard voices, strangely familiar, which brought a warm feeling in her chest...though she couldn't understand the words. Especially the man's voice was making her feel very content and warm.

When he spoke, she could see a strange, red symbol in dark eyes, staring at her. And ice. It was so strange...she could feel warmth in her chest, but rest of her body was like covered in ice...only it was very pleasant. Like a cold shower on an extremely hot afternoon, after extremely hard taijutsu training.

Slowly, the voices faded away and light started to seep through her eyelashes. The darkness was slowly replaced by dark eyes, placed on pale face and bangs of dark hair falling on both, her and his face.

She blinked leisurely, her mind still working very slowly due to the medicine. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, everything came back to her.

"_Sasuke?"_ she partially asked, partially screamed, abruptly sitting up. Thanks to his fast reflex, the Uchiha avoided a massive crash with her head.

"_What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the cell! When Tsunade finds out what...wait, where am I anyway? This is a hospital, right? How did I get here?"_ Question after question kept coming from her mouth, forming before she could even think.

"_Ino...you were on a mission, remember? You got hurt and Tsunade sent me as a back up. I brought you here and that's the end of the story."_ Sasuke took advantage to the fact that Ino had to take a new breath and answered all her questions with one, simple sentence.

"_...Alright. I understand. But...why you?"_ Burring her head in her hands, Ino tried to process all the information.

"_I'm a Konoha shinobi again. I was proved innocent by Tsunade."_

"_Oh."_

Silence fell over them. But it was a little different then the one before...it was awkward, true, but there was also something magical in it...an atmosphere of a shy hope.

"_I had a dream, you know."_ Suddenly the Yamanaka girl felt her mouth moving. What were those words?

"_I...I was alone. There was darkness and I could feel great danger coming towards me. But...all I could do is run. And everywhere I ran, there was it again. I...shouted for help, but there was no one. And...then...I saw you."_

Sasuke was half listening, trying to come up with an idea how to tell her about his newly discovered feelings. However, when he heard the last sentence, his head shoot up.

"_Really?"_

"_Yea. But...you were leaving me, going further until all I could see was a small spot in the distance. And... you know what? That scared me much more than this feeling of a danger earlier. I was so sacred that you'll walk away from me...like...Shikamaru..." H_er voice slowly died.

_She thinks of him again._

_That's not fair...she's not even giving me a chance. _

_Even if she doesn't care...I'm willing to open my heart for her._

_And I will._

Suddenly, she cried out, doubling over so much that her head was almost touching her knees. The wounds taken made themselves known.

"_Owwww...It...hurts..."_ Her croaky, strained voice sounded weak even to her.

"_Hang on, Ino, it'll be over soon...please, hang on...look, I'm here."_ He replied, panic entering his voice, his throat tightening with tears.

Ino didn't seem to hear him as she moaned in pain, curling even more. In lack of better ideas, he picked her up and sat on the bed, rocking her gently. The pain seemed to fade.

The dark haired man cursed modern medicine for not finding a cure for this kind of pain, just after surgery.

Her quiet sobs reached his ears, and he thought his heart was going to explode.

"_Sasuke...I'm all covered in cuts...and I'm so skinny...and I feel so weak..."_ Her pitiful whimpering made its way through his ears right into his heart.

"_You're beautiful,"_ He murmured, kissing her forehead. The pain seemed almost gone. It was, just like Sakura explained, a sudden wave of a very strong ache, running through her whole body. _"You're more beautiful then ever."_

"_You lie, Sasuke. Since when did you call any woman beautiful?"_ She sat up straight now, a small smile on her face.

"_Since I saw someone worth it."_ Sasuke too, smiled, the rare one, full of love of tenderness. _"Ino, I want you to know something."_ Taking a deep breath, he rested his forehead against hers, bending slightly. _"I want to be with you."_

The girl's eyes widened slightly, remembering the words of Itachi Uchiha. Forcing herself to calm down, she whispered, her warm breath tickling his lips. _"Because of the prophecy? Because you want to finally avenge your clan?"_

"_No. I don't care about it. I want to be with you and only you. I'm willing to open my heart for you, even if you don't care about me in that way. I'm not saying that it wouldn't have been great to have a son, a child that will surpass everyone but it doesn't matter to me anymore. What I want right now, is a real family with you as my wife."_

Ino remained speechless for a moment, before pushing him gently off her and sitting in front of him, her back resting by the wall. She slowly rested her head on her knees, her arms encircling them.

A dark haired jounin with small brown eyes passed before her eyes. He was standing, his lazy expression the same. His mouth was moving, forming a sentence...a sentence she heard before. Words echoed in her head.

_Don't make the same mistake, Ino._

_He felt, that even if you don't care, he would do it. He hoped...he hoped that you would also open your heart and accept him._

And suddenly she knew what she should do. She listened to her heart and it gave her the right answer. She sharply raised her face to meet Uchiha's rejected and concerned eyes.

_For you, Shikamaru. I'm sorry...but I love him now. I finally got over you, though I'll never forget what you did for me. You made me so happy Shika._

She could swear she saw him smiling at her.

And a great feeling of relief washed over her. Everything would change now. She smirked, in her own arrogant way.

"_Are you sure you know what exactly you are getting yourself into, Uchiha?"_

Sasuke was truly taken aback. Just a minute ago, she seemed on a brick of depression, not to mention she was crying with pain. It had to be those woman's mood swings.

"_Shall I treat it like a proposal, then?"_ She flashed him one of her playful smiles.

Unable to help himself, the dark eyes man smiled back, leaning a little closer to her. _"It would help me a lot, thank you. I could be spared all this dating nonsense."_

Ino arched an eyebrow at him, feeling great with what she was doing. It was as if a huuuge part of her soul was back, and she loved it!

_"Do you have any idea how much money the wedding will take? Not to mention moving in together? Are you really sure? I want a big, fairytale wedding..."_ She trailed off, tracing his face with her finger. Somehow, Sasuke managed to corner her to a wall, both his arms preventing her from escaping.

"_Shall I take it, that you accept?"_ An equally teasing smirk appeared on Sasuke's face.

Wordlessly, Ino pulled one of his bangs to draw his face to hers.

Tentatively they brushed their lips together. He entangled his fists in her hair, grabbing it roughly, slowly urging her to deepen the kiss, tasting the feel of her mouth. When they finally parted, both were panting a little and the Uchiha prodigy could feel himself becoming more and more excited. He'd never been this close to a woman before.

However, he could see that Ino's face completely lost color. What's more her eyes were dropping.

"_Sleep now, Ino,"_ He said gently and tucked her into the bed. _"You should be out of here in a few days."_

"_You won't leave, right?"_ She whispered, gripping his hand weakly.

"_Of course I won't. Never again."_ He kissed her gently on the cheek and when he was sure that she was deeply asleep, he laid by her side, pulling the girl's body closer to him, gripping her frame tightly.

Never they had slept so peacefully like that night in the hospital.

_You're always trying to figure out _

_What I am all about _

_If you don't know what the answer is _

_Then just shut up and kiss _

_**Epilogue**_

_"Shikamaru! _" A tall, blond woman shouted, standing in the door frame. _"I swear, that boy is going to get it if he's cloud watching again..."_ She muttered under her breath.

"_Ino, darling, you shouldn't get so nervous. Not in your condition."_ Her husband stood by her, embracing her shoulders and giving her a kiss on the cheek. _"He's probably just with Nasu, again."_ His hands warmly stroking her growing belly with their second child. Ino giggled.

To make long story short, after that accident Ino and Sasuke got married almost immediately. Barely a year after them, Naruto and Sakura followed. What's more, almost in the same day, it was announced that both young wives were pregnant. And the competition began. Ino and Sakura constantly fought with each other about the unborn babies. Sasuke and Naruto suspected that it was thanks to that, both women gave birth on the same day. And that was how Shikamaru Uchiha and Nasu Uzumaki were born. The new generation of Konoha.

Of course, Sasuke knew his son's fate. Despite his laziness (He was, after all, the reincarnation of Nara Shikamaru), the boy was very skilled. Now a seven year old, he could not only fully use his sharingan, but he also knew the basis of Shadow techniques and Mind Controlling jutsus. Both his parents planned to continue training him, no matter what he said in his defense.

Of course, Ino knew who was it behind this child's mask. It was her best friend, coming back to life. And that was why she loved Shikamaru Uchiha even more. It wasn't the passionate love she felt for Sasuke, but it was love nevertheless. Something more than just average motherly love. It was a feeling of fondness she felt for her best friend...affection for someone who was always by her side, even after death.

As for the young boy, he didn't ponder what love he felt for Ino. Too troublesome. He just loved her for being his mother and always being by his side.

It didn't matter that one day fate would tear them apart. Whatever would be, would be. All three of them would continue to love each other and nothing could change that. Not even Itachi Uchiha, and Sasuke was sure of it.

_It shouldn't take forever _

_To put it all together

* * *

_

_Info about Uchiha Shikamaru:_

_Age: 7 years_

_Eyes: Dark blue with sharingan_

_Hair: Black, tied to a topknot with bangs falling on his face_

_Skin color: Pale, getting a little tanned by lying in the sun all the time_

_Special abilities: Almost 200 IQ brain, amazing strategic skills, master at shougi and go, fully developed sharingan, can use shadow jutsus as well as mind controlling._

_Character: Lazy, uncaring, cunning, loyal, trustworthy etc.

* * *

_

A/N: #crawls under a rock# I'm sorry. Everyone, I'm so sorry. All of you hoped for a touching ending, full of tears, love etc and you were served such a crap. I'm sooo sorry. Those who managed to bear with me until this, thank you and please leave a review. Flame all you want, I deserve it. I hate this chapter. It's all OOC and woozy. Stupid, worthless piece of writing! Still, please review. Even if it's negative, leave a comment. Please.

A random fact: If you're wondering _how_ Sasuke got the letter, it were Naruto frogs who delivered it.


End file.
